Chapter 093 He still liked her so much.
*
Watching the patrol officer cycle away, Su Xian finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Li Chengshi approached with a grin, shaking her arm playfully and said in a fawning tone, "Team Leader, don't be mad anymore. It’s my big mouth. You can hit me again when we get home, okay?"
Just a moment ago, she was solely worried about her visa. Seeing him work so hard to bail her out, her anger had mostly dissipated; being shaken like this, the last bit vanished, though she intentionally kept a stern face.
Li Chengshi peered into the convenience store. "Come on, let me treat you to a seasonal limited-edition ice cream macaron. You’ll feel better after eating it, okay?"
Even though he had been hit and had even defamed himself, he was actually quite happy. Her intense anger confirmed that she and Zhao Nanfeng definitely hadn't done ‘that’ in the meeting room; it seemed they weren't as intimate as he feared.
*
The ice cream macaron was indeed refreshing and cooling, but at over 200 calories, she felt a pang of regret after eating it. While driving, Li Chengshi noticed her mood and quickly added, "I’ll go for a 10km run with you this weekend. I’ll support you while you lift weights and make you some fat-loss meals."
"Alright then." She was someone who knew when to accept a peace offering.
*
Back home, they went to their respective rooms to change. When Su Xian came down, she saw Li Chengshi wearing his puppy-print pajamas, standing in front of the sofa clutching a blanket. Unsure of his intent, she asked, "What are you doing?"
He wrapped the blanket around himself like a cocoon. "Team Leader, go ahead and hit me. Hit me hard."
Su Xian let out a snort of laughter. "Forget it. I forgive you."
"You can't let me off that easily." He grabbed her hand and made her punch his stomach twice, then fell onto the sofa pretending to be in unbearable pain.
Su Xian felt the "generation gap" once again. She laughed helplessly and sat down next to him. He found the remote and casually flipped on the TV.
As he reached out, Su Xian noticed a large red patch on his arm. She asked nervously, "Did I do that?"
"Yeah. You did it when you were dragging me out of the car."
"I'm sorry. Does it hurt?"
"It stings a bit."
Su Xian fetched the same ointment Li Chengshi had used on her forehead earlier, scooped out a bit, and supported his arm as she slowly rubbed it in. She massaged it gently for a few minutes to help the medicine absorb.
She was very close; her breath brushed softly against his bare arm, making his heart skip and flutter like it was being pricked by a needle.
Damn it. He couldn't forgive her, yet he still liked her so much.
**
The next day, as soon as she entered the meeting room, Su Xian felt awkward all over—all because of Li Chengshi's comment. She suggested, "Zhao Nanfeng, we don't need to come to the meeting room specifically to collaborate in the future. If you need me, come to my workspace; if I need you, I’ll go to yours. We both have large workstations and extra chairs anyway. Why bother with this unnecessary step?"
"I haven't harassed you lately. Why are you so unwilling to be alone with me?"
"That's not it. It's just... this meeting room has some 'hidden scents' that make me uncomfortable."
"You're not pregnant again, are you?"
"I can't self-fertilize. How would I get pregnant?"
"True." He smiled. "I'll borrow a detection instrument from an affiliate company to check the air later."
"There's no need to be that serious..." She felt a bit bad.
"You are my most important partner. Of course I have to be serious." He chose the word "partner" carefully, knowing she would appreciate it.
Sure enough, she raised her eyebrows happily. "Thanks."
**
Over the weekend, Li Chengshi kept his promise, running and working out with Su Xian and making fat-loss meals for them both. This used to be their norm, but it was only after the breakup that Su Xian realized how nice it was to have a "fitness buddy."
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She was starting to feel like she didn't want him to move out.
**
On Wednesday, she was heading to Sendai for the business trip. On Tuesday night, Su Xian packed her suitcase and brought it downstairs. Li Chengshi was in the living room disinfecting the fitness equipment. He looked at her and said blandly, "You must be pretty excited, huh?"
"Of course. This time, each design team has ample time to present to the project committee individually. It’s the best time to showcase our strength. At this stage, it’s not just about the design; personal charisma accounts for 20 to 30 percent. Seven out of the ten people on the committee are women. Let Zhao Nanfeng show off all he wants—at least we have an advantage in that regard."
He curled his lip dismissively. "You think everyone is as obsessed with Zhao Nanfeng as you are?"
Sensing that he wasn't interested in discussing work, Su Xian didn't push the topic. She placed her suitcase by the door, turned, and said, "Don't worry too much about wiping those down. Go to bed early. I'll bring you a big box of Sendai ox tongue when I get back."
He gave a flat "Mm," seemingly uninterested.
Su Xian could guess he was unhappy about her going on a trip with Zhao Nanfeng. It was understandable; having only broken up two months ago, he likely still felt possessive. But this was a choice they had made together; he had to accept it.
**
In the morning, Li Chengshi drove Su Xian directly to Tokyo Station, where she met Zhao Nanfeng to take the Shinkansen to Sendai.
The presentation was scheduled from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Upon arrival, they had lunch and arrived early at the venue to prepare. At two o'clock, the committee members arrived, and the meeting began.
Zhao Nanfeng’s explanation was simple and easy to understand. He was also excellent at managing the atmosphere, encouraging everyone to ask questions, so the entire process remained light and pleasant.
Su Xian’s role today was a "minor supporting character." She dressed plainly and was responsible for operating the software to assist Zhao Nanfeng in the full-scale presentation, distributing documents, and collecting feedback forms at the end.
Even after all the forms were collected, several committee heads remained around Zhao Nanfeng to ask more questions. He was high-spirited and answered each one seriously and tirelessly.
It was nearly six o'clock when they finally left the venue. The two of them stood on the roadside waiting for a texi.
Su Xian unscrewed a bottle of water and handed it to Zhao Nanfeng. "Boss, good work."
He smiled. "It was exhausting. But if you give me a kiss, I’ll be back to full health immediately."
She looked around, fearing the committee members might see them flirting and get a bad impression. Keeping a polite expression but speaking through gritted teeth, she said, "Shut up!"
*
After the taxi had driven several kilometers, Su Xian felt something was wrong. "Didn't you say we were staying at the same hotel as last time? I feel like we’re almost out of the city." She pointed to the fields by the road.
"Yeah. We're staying at that Kuromatsu guesthouse from last time."
What?!
"Zhao Nanfeng, you bastard!" She pinched his arm hard.
Zhao Nanfeng took the opportunity to grab her hand. "Don't be afraid. I said I could wait forever. If you’re in the mood tonight, I’ll break down that wall. If not, we’ll just talk through it."
"You planned this, didn't you?" She was furious at being schemed against.
"What else could I do? You're so hard to chase."
"Who asked you to chase me? It would be so much better if we could just be clean-cut colleagues. If things blow up again this time, we might not even be able to be colleagues anymore."
"That won't happen. Actually, I’m considering making you a partner next year, regardless of whether we win this project or not."
This was truly an unexpected joy. Su Xian was in disbelief. "Really?!"
"I want you to make as much money as I do."
"Zhao Nanfeng..." No, she was going to tear up. She tried to pull her hand away to rub her eyes, but he held it tightly.
**
